Back to the footwear conundrum I have been dealing with for the last… forever, I have tried my luck again with a pair of Inov8’s: the Race Ultra 290. I know I said I would be avoiding Inov8 shoes after my Cape Wrath Trail experience with the Trailroc 235 in 2015, but I had a […]

Water containers are such a trivial item but there many opinions about it, mainly since there are always the ultimate cheap and light options: empty soda bottles. I’m not against soda bottles (or any disposable bottle) in any way, but I hate the disposable aspect of them. For years I have been a Nalgene user: […]

Picking a day pack is a very sensitive issue for hikers, almost as much as footwear and big trip backpacks – they are very personal and can be very controversial. I have experimented with more than my share of day packs, trying to find the combination of the features and volume (22-27 litres) I want […]

For a long time I saw wind shirts (or jackets) as a novelty or an indulgence, something that is not at all necessary, especially since I always carry some sort of waterproof jacket. In 2011 I had a chance to buy a North Face Verto jacket for about 60% off, so I opted in and […]

Backpacks are a sore point for many backpackers as it is both the defining and the most painful item if not used correctly. I have used my share of backpacks, starting from the worst kind (case style, no frame with about 90L of volume) to the lightest and simplest (28L running packs for a weekend […]

The controversy around rain jackets, waterproofs and rain protection in general is pretty extensive, especially in the lightweight circles or the UK walking community. Opinions and what the “right waterproof” might be are as many as there are users (and sometimes even more than that!), so it is not surprising that we are often so […]

We all have a jacket which is our “go-to” jacket – the one you find yourself using most times, even when it may not be the most appropriate, right? Don’t have one? Impossible, but it is probably a good time to upgrade. Let me recommend my go-to jacket: the Arc’teryx Atom LT hooded jacket. I […]

About two years ago I put together a set of tops to wear when going outdoors, and I have been using pretty much the same outfit ever since: a short sleeve Merino tee and a long sleeve hooded (balaclava style) Merino shirt – both made by Janus. I have no idea exactly how this happened, […]

A good night’s sleep in the backcountry is one of those things that everyone talks about – it is not only a great moral booster but is also vital for your physical recovery. When hiking day after day, sleeping outdoors, it is easy to not sleep well: the unfamiliar environment, the excitement and general tiredness […]

Sometimes we get hooked on weird gear, really, just the weirdest things that there is a good chance you’ll never need – unless you do? I got the Ribz under with the idea that I think I’ll need it, not sure how, but I want it. It is a very odd pack, and I get […]

Outdoors trousers is such an under treated item that it is almost shocking. You don’t really read many gear reviews or great stories about trousers, but when asked, everyone have their very favourite – a specific brand, pockets configuration, material and more. I too have my favourite trousers (or pants, lets go with pants): the […]

A good sleeping bag is probably one of the first things most people upgrade in their quest for better gear; and not surprisingly, a good sleep can really make or a break a trip. I also think that a sleeping bag should be the first big investment towards a lightweight backpack as it is the […]

Front baby carriers are not exactly the classic “outdoor kit” that I would usually read about, but it is part of the basic arsenal of an outdoors father family. Since our daughter was born, our Ergobaby performance has been on more hikes, hill walks, multiday backpacking and camping trips than some people see their whole […]

I have mentioned in the past that my feet are wide, like flippers wide, and so finding footwear is a real nightmare. My search for suitable outdoors footwear is more of an epic quest rather than a search, and when I moved to minimalist shoes, it was no different. Mika is a huge fan of […]

The MSR Reactor system is an integrated stove and pot cooking system aimed at mountain sports and cold weather activities. As a system aimed at the harshest of conditions it is extremely efficient and robust. Released at 2007, and since then been a controversial stove – it can deal with very strong winds and low […]